". . . it's a terrific read, and it sure did bring back a lot of memories.  Thank you for writing it." Seth, Operation Iraq Freedom Veteran  




"Colonel Olson is a modern day Joan of Arc--born to inspire, to lead, and to command. The book is truly remarkable... Her story will inspire all who open it and can't put it down.''— William Sessions Former Director of the FBI and U.S. District Judge

“This is a story of a life on the edge, at the transition of emerging opportunities for women in the military. A breathtaking, unforgettable account.”— Sheila Widnall, Secretary of the Air Force, 1993-97

 

In April 2003, soon after declaring an “end to major combat operations in Iraq,” President Bush chose retired Army General Jay Garner to rebuild the country and Garner took Colonel Kim Olson with him.  But not long after their arrival to the rubble and ruin of Baghdad, the political, military, and economic wheels ground to a halt.  Theirs became mission improbable. 

In this gripping, firsthand account of her experience in Iraq, Olson weaves a dramatic story about the devastation she witnesses in this war-torn country, while also reflecting on the internal struggles she faces as a woman on the edge of emerging leadership opportunities in the military.  Her description of the reconstruction of Iraq becomes a metaphor for the challenge she faced in building a life that encompasses both family and a military career – a challenge faced by working women in every profession.

As part of the Air Force’s first generation of female jet pilots, Olson describes her experience working with women on two continents and her discoveries about the benefits of their different leadership styles.  Olson takes readers on two journeys -- one through the rubble and ruin of post-war Iraq; the other as she navigates her way through the male-dominated world of military service.  Both journeys illustrate, in breathtaking detail, the struggles and obstacles women face as they create opportunities for this generation and the next.

Whether it is on the streets of Iraq with families and soldiers or in the cockpit of a military aircraft, readers will feel the joys and sorrows of a life on the edge with Olson. They will experience the emotion and senses of a woman who, on the cusp of global, military, and political history in the making, tells an unforgettable tale about the human condition.

"Some reviewers fault her criticism of the Bush administration officials and others; I wish there was more of it. At the same time, knowing what she intended to write and what I see in the book, I think some miss the point in thinking this book is primarily about her experience in Iraq or the relative merits of ORHA versus CPA. I don't believe it is. If it were, she could have said much more about the lack of adequate resources for reconstructing Iraq. She could have assessed whether the way we went about fighting the war made sense. But she had only a brief relationship with Iraq and had to do the best job given the resources and knowledge available at the time. That being said, I see the book using Iraq as an anchor around which the bigger boat floats."--John Maberry, author of Waiting for Westmoreland.

"Colonel Olson began opening doors for other women in the USAF from the very beginning of her military career.  Due to her vision and persistence, women can now count "pilot"  among their career objectives in the air force. On Kim's return she began writing as a means to offload the impact of some of her war time experiences, and a new career was born.  Her natural leadership ability and inspiring message can be put to use to motivate your group too!  In fact, if you want to be motivated today, listen in - she has a message for you." -- Wisewoman Group, www.wisewomengroup.com

"Olson delivers particularly haunting descriptions of Shiite families searching for loved ones in Saddam’s killing fields, and of starving children untouched by the International Oil-for-Food Program. Such frankness is rare in any memoir, and particularly so in the field of how-I-fought-the-war reminiscences, which by their very nature invite myth-making. Olson’s gifts as a storyteller have more to do with a just-the-facts interpretive shill, enhanced by a command of dramatic pacing and a conversational eloquence. If military insights are a given, Olson’s understanding of politics and unaffected sense of compassion emotion provide a persuasive equilibrium." -- Mike Price, Fort Worth Business Press, October 23-29, 2006

Olson considers the challenge an important part of life's journey. "Try it all. You learn more from your failures than all your successes combined." She said. As a mother with two children of her own, Olson advises students to make a legacy for themselves. "Give back to the society you have so benefited from," she said. "What legacy do you leave as a woman, as a human on this plant?" -- Animee Wong, The Lasso, Texas Woman's University, October 19, 2006


Buy the book at these locations!